Against All Odds
by exoticpanda
Summary: All Katniss Everdeen wanted was to graduate peacefully without grabbing their attention. Her invisibility, however, was shattered as soon as she spoke differently from the crowd. Now, she was going to take part in their barbaric game, whether she likes it or not. AU.
1. The Careers

******Disclaimer: **The base of this plot belongs to Kamio Yoko for creating the wonderful manga: Hana Yori Dango.

* * *

**ONE**

Her tattered bag was hitting against her thigh as she weaved through the crowded street that early morning. Unlike the wealthy citizens of the Capitol that wore strictly nothing but outrageous, colorful clothing, a black, thin jacket covered her checkered t-shirt underneath, and her calm countenance stuck out like a sore thumb in the midst of the high pitched laughter and wide smiles. Though she was different, no one paid any attention to her.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, she stood in front of a wrought iron gate with guards on either side, and behind it was the largest building she had ever encountered. It appeared to stretch for miles with an umpteenth number of windows on either side. The most fascinating attribute was being made completely out of glass. She glanced at the incoming teenagers whose attire was far more appealing than hers. A sigh escaped her lips as she followed the students inside.

Her fingers played with the spinner on her lock, and just as she unlocked it, a book tumbled towards her, nearly slamming into her face before she dodged it. She glanced annoyingly at the maroon cover, and bent over to pick it up. Unexpectedly, a hand reached out, grabbing the book before she had a chance to do so.

"For the last time, Katniss Everdeen – I do believe that you should do yourself some good. Clean out that disorganized locker of yours, before you get a concussion from all of your falling books!"

Katniss Everdeen smirked at the girl standing in front of her. "Good morning to you too, Madge," she said, taking the book from Madge's small, well-manicured hand. "Glad to see that you made it to school – on time today."

The girls walked down the hallway, unnoticed by the majority of the students. But there were still a fair few that gave them intimidating stares as they passed. Occasionally, Katniss stole peeks at Madge's attire: the outrageously expensive school uniform. Her black blazer rested comfortably on her shoulders, white lace surrounding the collar and the ends of the sleeves. Underneath was a light red dress outlined in black, with ruffles at the bottom. Katniss never preferred wearing dresses or skirts, but she had to admit that the uniform didn't look half bad. If only she had enough to pay for it.

They entered a large classroom that was filled with loud students, discussing their latest trips or the latest fashion disasters. Luckily, Madge and Katniss's desks were side by side, allowing them to converse without much difficulty.

A girl who sat nearby stuck out her arm, admiring the stunning ring around her pale hand. "Five thousand grand was definitely worth it," she said pompously, glancing at her three friends encircling her. "Don't you agree?" Her friends stared enviously at the ring. "Even if it wasn't on sale, I still could have afforded it either way."

"That reminds me," one of the girls spoke up, glancing at her friend across from her. "Aren't your parents going out of the country this weekend, Celes?" Katniss discreetly shifted her gaze towards a shy-looking girl who nodded briefly to her friend's question. "Why don't we have the party at your house, then? I heard you got a pool and a bowling arena in your basement."

"Yes… but my parents wouldn't be very happy if I threw a party. They clearly instructed me to keep the house clean and – "

"Then you can clean it after we leave," another girl suggested, fiddling with her diamond necklace. "Do your friends a favor, Celes!"

As much as Katniss wanted to stand up for the poor girl, she knew better than to cause trouble for herself. She pitied the girl, yes, but not enough to actually say or do anything about it. Katniss stood up, unable to bear the guilt that was stirring inside her. Without saying a word to Madge, Katniss exited the classroom, without a glance back at her classmates. Madge, who had taken notice of Katniss' slightly disturbed countenance, bit her bottom lip. She turned in her seat, propping both of her elbows on her table, her long blond tresses spilling past her shoulders, shielding her face from any glances from her gossiping classmates.

* * *

Katniss emerged from a bathroom stall. As she placed her hands underneath the automatic sink, she heard the door open, and the sound of heels clicking against the granite tile echoed in her eardrums. Katniss took no notice of the girl that walked inside, her blond ringlets flowing past her shoulders, the tips resting just below her bosom. Her emerald green eyes flashed towards the brunette who was now rinsing out the soap suds on her hands.

"Katniss Everdeen, right?" Katniss looked up, staring at the girl's reflection in the mirror. She was tying her tresses into a high ponytail, keeping her eyes on her. "I've heard a lot about you. Intelligent, a bookworm, and apparently skilled in archery – am I right?" Katniss pressed her lips together, not wanting to converse with a Capitol girl like Glimmer. "I'm an archer myself – but I'm sure you are already aware of that," Glimmer continued pompously.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I applaud you for your motivation as archery is not a sport that is easy to grasp."

Glimmer's gaze darkened and the corner of her mouth twitched as she glared at the oblivious brunette. "If you think that you can easily take my place in the Games, you're highly mistaken." Katniss had always dreamt of competing in the School Games: an annual event that brought many Capitol schools together to compete in a variety of different sports. "I have always scored high scores with the judges, and don't think that you – "

"I was never thinking of stealing your spotlight, Glimmer," Katniss muttered. The Games drew many crowds from all over the city, and Katniss Everdeen had never been much of a people person. Though she had thought about competing on a regular basis, Katniss wasn't thrilled on the thought of an enormous, rainbow themed crowd watching her every move.

"Good," Glimmer said proudly, "I'm glad you know where you stand in this school… commoner." She took one last look at Katniss's 'horrendous' attire and walked out of the bathroom, her ponytail swinging behind her.

Katniss arrived back in the classroom five minutes later. Her encounter with Glimmer dampened her mood, and all Katniss wanted to do was to crawl back into her bed with a good book. She sat down at her desk, right when the teacher entered the room. Her gaze shifted towards Madge who was flipping through her notebooks, looking at her messy notes. Thinking that it would be best not to disturb her, Katniss stole a peek at Celes. Her jet-black tresses reached until her shoulders and her gray eyes was fixed on the board. Unlike the other girls in the class (excluding Katniss and Madge), Celes appeared to be a studious student.

Class passed by rather quickly, and while Katniss was still copying down the various remarks written on the board, hurried footsteps could be heard outside the classroom. Madge, who had been packing her bag, glanced outside as a student pushed the doors open. A mob of students, teachers included, were rushing in one direction. Some had excited countenances while others looked absolutely horrified.

Katniss closed her notebook and placed her bag on her desk. By now, most of the students were already gone, and Madge's bag was swung over her shoulder, looking anxiously at her friend, wondering if she was going to go with the crowd.

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute," Katniss said reluctantly, zipping up her bag.

Madge nodded wordlessly and exited the classroom, following the students with much anticipation. Katniss already knew that Madge had the intention of going since she had a soft spot for Gale Hawthorne, a handsome senior who was a member of the Careers – a notorious group who ruled the school. Despite his interest in older women, to Katniss, he was considered a tolerable member.

Katniss fiddled with her lock, clearly not eager to join in on the action that was taking place in the cafeteria right now. She grabbed her homemade lunch and shut her locker.

As she neared the cafeteria, Katniss heard the sickening cheers from the students, who were also watching a distraught boy, get thrown around by an older boy with a much better build. Katniss cringed as she observed from afar. There were so many students in the cafeteria that it was impossible to distinguish Madge from them. Katniss knew that her beloved friend wouldn't be as rude as some of them, but Madge's interest in the Careers irritated her greatly.

The Careers were composed of four wealthy and ignorant members who Katniss knew cared about no one but themselves. They were the children of extremely wealthy families that one wouldn't dare to upset for whatever reason. Katniss watched anxiously as Finnick Odair, the biggest playboy out of them all, quieted the jeering crowd. He was rather gorgeous, for his age. His short bronze colored hair framed his amused countenance, and his sea-green eyes drifted towards the boy lying helplessly on the floor.

Unnoticed, Katniss entered the cafeteria, blending in with the other students. She didn't bother trying to find Madge, for it was impossible with the amount of people present. Finnick gripped the boy's cheeks, analyzing his angry countenance.

"Had enough, little one?" he asked, smirking.

"I hope you all rot in hell," the boy spat.

Finnick scowled and rolled his eyes as he glanced at his friends sitting nonchalantly at the back of the cafeteria.

"What should we do with him? Beat him up even more? Torture him – maybe?" he asked, shrugging.

Gale stood up and eyed the now frightened looking boy with much interest. "Let's just leave him. He's suffered enough for one day – don't you agree?" He turned to Cato – the intimidating ringleader of the Careers. His icy blue eyes flashed in the boy's direction, apparently not paying much attention until now.

Katniss's hands rolled into fists, and her lips were pressed tightly together as she gazed at the tall boy wearing a calm countenance, his gaze sweeping across the many students who were either smirking or whispering amongst themselves, anxious of Cato's move. Out of them all, Cato was the one she most despised. He was ignorant, arrogant, and spoiled to the core. If he wasn't the son of one of the most powerful people in the Capitol, Katniss wouldn't be afraid to give him a piece of her mind.

As Cato closed in on his prey, Katniss quickly diverted her gaze towards the upper floor of the cafeteria that was prohibited to all but the careers. She noticed a boy leaning against a pillar, his blue eyes fixed on his friend that was now tormenting the poor boy. Unbeknownst to her, she smiled slightly. The boy was none other than Peeta Mellark.

_It was spring, and the flowers in the gardens were starting to bloom. A first year Katniss Everdeen was asleep on her desk, dreaming of participating and winning the School Games. However, she was rudely awoken by the loud slamming of the classroom door. Immediately, Katniss sat up, quickly turning her head in the direction of the sound. There, at the doorway, stood Peeta Mellark, a boy who Katniss only knew as a member of the Careers. Never had she seen him nor talked to him ever since she transferred. _

_ "Sorry, I wasn't planning to wake you," he said, smiling faintly._

_ Katniss was stunned. After a few seconds of blankly staring at him, she finally managed, "I was just about to leave… don't worry." She stood up and started packing her tattered bag._

_ "Well – you better put this somewhere safe then." Peeta approached her and handed her an old, bronze Mocking jay pin. "You dropped it a little while ago."_

_ Katniss's eyes widened. "Thank you," she said quietly, taking it from his hands. She held it close, unable to believe that she had dropped such a precious object. Her late father had given it to her when she was a young child, and it meant everything to her._

_ "Take good care of it."_

_ Katniss watched as Peeta exited the classroom without a glance back. _

As the jeering cries of the students commenced once more, Katniss quickly fled the cafeteria, ignoring the agonizing screams coming from the young boy, and unknowingly catching the eye of a certain Career.

Her grip on her lunch tightened significantly as she hurried down the deserted hallway. And out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a blinding, scarlet rose that was sitting innocuously in an open locker. Katniss stiffened as the scent of blood filled her nostrils.

That was how they marked their victims: a harmless rose that smelt like blood.

Katniss's bottom lip curled inwards. Without a glance back, she continued on her way, her pace quickening with each step. Her hand was now covering half of her face as she attempted to block the unbearable smell that seemed to be getting stronger by the second.

By tomorrow, the boy's locker would be cleaned out, and the poor child would be driven out of the school, forced to attend a new one because of an absurd reason that could never be justified. Katniss was now standing in front of a grey door that led to set of stairs that was almost forgotten. She pulled the door open and was welcomed by a refreshing breeze complimented by the magnificent scenery of the entire Capitol. Katniss walked down the stairs, her gaze fixed directly ahead.

Not many students knew about this secret place as they were all accustomed to using elevators and escalators to get to their classes. But Katniss would be lying if she said she wasn't the same. She discovered it by accident as she wanted to get away from her obnoxious classmates as much as possible. It was a hassle getting from class to class using the stairs, but hey, it was good exercise, right?

Katniss inhaled deeply and placed her arms on a semi-tall concrete wall that enclosed a small space when you reached the bottom of the first flight of stairs.

"CATO IS A SPINELESS IDIOT WHO THINKS ABOUT NO ONE BUT HIMSELF!" she screamed, gasping for breath. After taking a couple of deep breaths, Katniss smiled, feeling great that she got rid of some of her frustration.

She happily sat down on a stair and unpacked her homemade lunch, thinking that if she ever got involved with a group as idiotic as them, she would be just as stupid, or possibly even more. And Katniss refused to stoop to their level.


	2. Madge's Plan?

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hey guys! Wow, how long has it been? Three months? Anyway, I'll try to make this author's note as short as possible. So, let's start with the **MUST READ**: You MUST go back and read chapter one again. Why? Because I've been experimenting with different ideas and how to morph it into the Hana Yori Dango plot this story is based off of. I'm very, very sorry that I'm making you guys do so much re-reading.

And once again, I apologize for my long delay. Again the excuse of school comes up here... and well... yeah. I hope you all had a safe and awesome Christmas break, and a happy new year! I celebrated my birthday two weeks ago by working. Now doesn't that sound exciting?! Yep. It sure was. Anyway, enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoy this chapter! And remember: reviews and subscriptions will always be greatly appreciated!

P.S: If anyone wants to beta read for me, please let me know. Thanks in advance!

**Disclaimer: **The base of this plot belongs to Kamio Yoko for creating the wonderful manga: Hana Yori Dango.

* * *

**TWO**

The rest of the school day passed quickly without any other unneeded disruptions. The traumatic event from today was never mentioned again and was overlooked by the students and teachers in the school.

As the school bell rang, signalling the last of today's classes, Katniss stole a peek at Madge. She had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since this afternoon as if something was constantly on her mind. As the students filed out of the classroom, Katniss stood up and gently flicked her friend's forehead, causing her to snap out of her reverie.

"Is class over?" Madge asked, glancing eagerly around the classroom.

Katniss sighed. "What have you been doing? You've been acting strange ever since lunch… is something wrong?" Madge bit her bottom lip, her gaze sweeping the large and nearly empty classroom. Katniss's eyebrow rose, already knowing the response to her question. "The only time you daydream is when something happened between you and – "

"Shh!" Madge whispered loudly. "I wasn't… daydreaming."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "If _that_ wasn't daydreaming, then I don't know what is."

"I was thinking!" Madge retorted lamely.

"About?"

"Stuff," Madge replied softly as she slouched in her chair.

Katniss clapped unenthusiastically. "That was very convincing! You should definitely try for law school."

Madge's nervous countenance vanished as she gave Katniss a displeased look. "You're hilarious, Katniss. You never fail to amuse me," the blond said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Before Katniss could respond, Madge quickly glanced at the clock and flashed her signature smirk towards her good friend. "Don't you have somewhere you need to be, Miss Everdeen?"

Katniss turned to the clock, and despite the unwelcomed panic attack she just experienced, her calm countenance never changed. "Thanks for reminding me, Madge," Katniss mumbled, forcing a smile as she continued, "you're off the hook this time."

Madge feigned a dramatic gasp. "Oh, thank goodness! I don't have to face your notorious wrath!"

Katniss finished packing her bag and rolled her eyes at the overly dramatic blond. "I know. I'm just terrifying when I'm angry."

"You sure are," Madge said brightly, giving Katniss thumbs up as she hurriedly left the building.

* * *

"Gosh… that doesn't sound pleasant at all! I think it's even worse than the last incident you told me about!" Annie Cresta cried, later that day, as she swiftly cleaned the remnants of an alcoholic drink off of a long maroon table. "Your teachers need to man up!" Katniss smiled, relieved that they were on the same page. "I hope the poor kid won't transfer out. He seems a lot braver than all of their other... victims."

"Most likely," Katniss replied, as she assisted with setting the tables in preparation for the dinner rush. "If he doesn't, the entire school is going to hate on him, and probably drive him out eventually."

Annie shook her head in disappointment. "Kids these days," she muttered quietly.

Katniss's annoyed countenance instantly morphed into an amused smile. "We're the same age, you know," she chuckled.

Annie frowned, and just as she placed a stack of white plates on the table, she narrowed her eyes. "Unlike them, we are civilized people and do not find joy in harming other human beings!"

Annie, coming from a middle class family, wasn't a Capitol citizen to begin with. In fact, if it wasn't the pressure from her parents wanting her to become a lawyer, Annie wouldn't have left her hometown behind to study in such an outrageously obnoxious place filled with money obsessed individuals. She was not against her parents' wishes, but if Annie had a choice, she would rather find a job in the creative field, like photography. Katniss knew all about Annie's unhealthy obsession with pictures and cameras, and though it wasn't a career that paid significantly well, Annie wouldn't mind pursuing a job as a photographer. Katniss was envious; she was uncertain what she _really_ wanted to do in life, and even though Annie is following her parents' wishes, she would continue pursuing her own dreams. Katniss felt like she was just sitting in the middle of nowhere.

"So are there any news on you and your significant other?" Annie continued, a small smirk forming on her lips.

Katniss nearly dropped the stack of plates she was holding. As she regained her posture, Annie erupted into a fit of giggles. "He is not my 'significant other," Katniss muttered, shooting Annie a cautious glare. "Nor have I ever talked to him ever since that day."

Annie placed a hand on her hip, not looking the least bit pleased. "Well, why not?"

Katniss slowly turned her head, giving Annie an incredulous look. Annie, looking completely oblivious, gestured Katniss to respond. "Did you really just ask me that?" Katniss spluttered, her eyes widening.

"Would you like me to repeat it?" Annie asked in a convincing British accent.

"I don't know, Annie. Maybe it's because he's a part of _them_," Katniss replied sarcastically, efficiently arranging the silverware on the table.

"Don't be using those silly excuses, Katniss," Annie said loudly. "You can't let these opportunities slip your grasp! You have to take them before some horrifying Capitol girl corrupts his innocent mind!"

"He's far from innocent," Katniss stated bluntly. "He's a Career, Annie. All of them are _far_ from innocent."

"But you said he didn't participate in those ridiculous games!"

"He doesn't. But he's just as corrupted as them."

Annie's shoulders fell as her gaze drifted from Katniss to the bright colored sky that was tainted with blotches of orange and yellow that melded together to form the beautiful horizon. Annie puffed out her cheeks and stole a glimpse at Katniss who was placing the last of the silverware on the remaining tables.

Suddenly, a high pitched voice resonated throughout the restaurant, "Who is just as corrupted as whom?" Annie and Katniss nearly jumped at the all too familiar voice that belonged to the famous Effie Trinklet, a Capitol woman who was far from normal. Her blinding pink wig made both girls narrow their eyes, and her large multicolored gown brushed against the clean floor as she approached them, her eyelids painted with hues of light yellow and red.

Katniss wasn't at all surprised at Effie's sudden appearance. It was so _Effie_ to be appearing and disappearing when you least expect it. Annie placed a hand over her thumping heart, clearly not prepared for the restaurant's owner sudden interruption.

"My… what a marvelous job you girls did!" Effie gasped, clapping her hands together as she surveyed the outrageously clean restaurant. "This will surely draw a lot of customers!" Before any of the girls could respond, Effie allowed some loose strands of her wig to frame her now serious countenance as she said, "Katniss, I've heard all about your little conflict."

Katniss's eyebrow rose, "what conflict?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Annie shook her head rapidly.

"I've been hearing so much about this boy with the amazing blue eyes and sweet smile that make the butterflies in your stomach come alive! This captivating boy who stole your heart! It reminds me so much of my first love," Effie sighed dramatically. "Have I ever told you about him?

"Yes," both girls said simultaneously.

"He was practically glowing when we first met, and that's when I knew instantly! That he… was the one."

"Again, I sure hope that wasn't a health issue," Katniss said, picturing a glowing, short man with an idiotic, toothy smile on his face.

Effie wiped an imaginary tear from her extremely pale face due to the amount of make-up she put on. "He was one of a kind! And if this boy is anything like my darling, then he sure is a keeper!"

"I am almost certain that Katniss wouldn't want a light bulb for a boyfriend," Annie spoke, a genuine smile on her face.

Effie tilted her head downwards as she looked at Annie with a smug look. "Oh, my dear Annie, one day you will know the true meaning of – "

A sudden gush of wind, along with the harmonious ring of a bell made Effie frown in annoyance. However, her countenance immediately brightened when a mob of customers flooded into the restaurant, eager to be seated. Katniss and Annie exchanged a glance, clearly amused at how talented Effie was at with her mood swings.

"Welcome! Welcome!" Effie sang as she curtsied politely to the customers. "Welcome to The Mockingjay!"

Throughout the evening, Annie and Katniss were constantly attending the needy customers, while Effie simply served as entertainment. To them, there was no need to for Effie to do her 'lovely' dances as she would say. Her outfit provided enough entertainment already.

By closing, the three were exhausted. Annie was finishing washing up the dishes, Katniss was stacking the chairs, and Effie was busy catching up on her evening snooze. Like every other night, business had been good. The Mockingjay wasn't as popular as most restaurants in the Capitol, but that certainly didn't stop the citizens from coming.

Katniss slipped into her thin jacket, while Annie swung her bag diagonally across her shoulder. She glanced at the tattered bag that was sitting on a chair. "Are you sure you don't want me to get you a new one? I honestly won't mind," Annie said, glancing at Katniss.

"It's still usable," Katniss replied as she lifted it from the chair.

"But it's… almost gone."

Katniss smiled, thankful for her friend's concern, but she had no intention of giving up this bag. It was, after all, a gift from her late father. "I appreciate it, Annie. But you worry too much. If I really needed a new one, I would have gotten it by now."

Annie sighed. "I don't know how you do it, Katniss," she said, grinning.

Katniss shrugged and wittily replied, "I guess that is one of my many lovable qualities."

By the time Katniss arrived at her small apartment, she suddenly remembered how much cleaning she still had to do. She pictured her clothes scattered across the floor, and today's breakfast, if she remembered correctly, was still left on the kitchen counter. The dishes had yet to be cleaned and she still had to find the remote for her painfully small television she bought a month ago. Katniss fumbled with her keys on her key ring; she even dropped them once, and sighed in frustration due to her clumsiness. Once inside, she switched on the light and sighed at the unpleasant sight of her messy apartment.

Katniss placed her bag on a chair and pressed the flashing button on her answering machine. As a familiar voice spoke up, she decided to get a head start on the tedious chore.

"HEY, KATNISS! It's me, Madge! Well, of course you know that, don't you? You could recognize my voice from a mile away!" Katniss, who had a checkered scarf in her hand, gave her answering machine a blank stare. "Anyway, I know you're going to be exhausted after work… but call me back! Okay?"

Katniss glanced at the clock; it was pretty late, eleven thirty to be exact. But she decided to make the call anyway, since it was somewhat unusual that Madge would even call her in the first place.

Her fingers were drumming against the counter as she placed the phone to her ear, waiting for the line to get through. After three rings, Madge's cheery voice came from the other end, "Hey! I knew you would call me back!"

"What's up?" Katniss asked anxiously. "For you to call me this late at night… you better have a good reason," she said jokingly.

"I discovered it," Madge said almost immediately.

"Discovered… what?"

"The fail proof method of getting Gale to notice me!"

A long silence followed afterwards, with Katniss still processing the uncharacteristically, girly words that just came out of Madge's mouth, and Madge eagerly awaiting a response from her stunned friend.

"What?" The long and unexpected reply coming from Katniss made Madge huff in annoyance.

"What?"

"I'm confused – " Katniss started, attempting to organize her scattered thoughts in her head. "Were you drinking tonight… or are you serious? Because if you are, I don't know if I should call you an idiot or a desperate idiot."

"Just you wait, Katniss Everdeen. You'll be left speechless tomorrow."

Katniss's eyes widened, for fear that Madge's 'fail proof method' included her wild and unrealistic daydreams of a damsel in distress that, by some magical event, allowed her to happen to fall into her prince's awaiting arms. And in a nutshell, they lived happily ever after. Katniss shivered at the thought. Hopefully, she was far from being right. The thought of Madge being the laughing stock of the entire school frightened her, and knowing that the Careers would make the embarrassing situation ten times worse made Katniss squirm uneasily on her chair.

"Madge –" _Click. _"Hello, Madge? Hello?" Katniss gripped her phone tightly, knowing that Madge had just rudely cut her off. She placed the phone down and bit her bottom lip.

Tomorrow was going to be one heck of a day.


	3. Crossing the Boundary

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Updated quicker than expected, since I also have another story going on. I have a feeling that my upcoming chapters will be getting longer and longer... and hopefully it won't become painfully long. e.e.

Happy reading!

* * *

**THREE**

Katniss's tresses were not in its usual side braid the next early morning. Instead, it was left down, slightly curled at the tips. Her grip on her bag tightened as she rushed into the empty school, her mind on no one but her delusional friend.

"Madge!" Katniss shouted as she slammed the classroom doors open, not considering who was inside. She attracted a couple of odd looking stares as the brunet came up to her friend, cheeks reddened due to the chilly weather.

"Heya, Katniss!" Madge said, turning to face her friend with a large smile. "You're early today!"

Katniss placed her bag on the floor and plopped in her chair. She scooted it closer to the blonde who was humming a happy tune, while kicking her legs like a five year old. "Look – whatever you got planned... don't do it, okay? Please?"

The corners of Madge's mouth fell, and an annoyed countenance quickly replaced her ecstatic one from before. She folded her arms across her chest and turned away from her worried friend. "Why not?"

"Because you're dealing with _them_," Katniss hissed. "I know you're infatuated with the guy… and I'm sorry to say this but it's definitely not going to end well." Madge whipped her head around and opened her mouth, but Katniss quickly cut her off, "It's not one of your delusional fantasies, Madge. This is reality."

Madge's hands rolled into fists. "I knew you would be against it, but you don't have to lecture me like you know everything!"

Reflexively, Katniss leaned back, not expecting the uncharacteristic outburst from her friend. "Madge… I'm just looking out for you."

"No, you're not!" Madge muttered. "At least a friend would at least _try_ to be supportive!"

By now, Katniss realized how childish this conversation turned out to be, and how childishly she responded to Madge's statement yesterday night. This was a typical high school romance: a girl who was head-over-heels over an insanely attractive guy, obviously not life threatening in any way. So, why was she making a big deal out of it? Katniss sighed; maybe it was because Madge had the guts to do what she could _never_ do: talking, let alone confessing to Peeta Mellark. The brunet bit her lower lip, and finally broke the uncomfortable silence. "I - I'm sorry." Madge's gaze slightly softened. "Do what you want. And hey – it could turn out well."

Unexpectedly, Madge wrapped her arms around the brunet, hugging her tightly. "I know you're just looking for me. But… sometimes you can take it a bit far. Don't you think?"

Katniss chuckled hesitantly. "Er… I guess." To be honest, she never gave it much thought.

Madge released her, the blonde's eyes shining in excitement. "Besides – how lucky would I be if I got to date a Career!" she whispered, her gaze sweeping the room to ensure that there weren't eavesdroppers.

"Yes. How lucky would you be." Katniss said, smiling slightly.

Ever since their 'argument', Katniss kept an eye on her overly ecstatic friend. Madge's low humming and constant whistling turned a few heads, and the brunet had to kick her friend's chair to snap her back to reality. She was fantasizing again, like always. However, there was something about Madge today that made her surprisingly different from all the other days she's been at school. She was a lot livelier; that's for sure. And her concentration during classes increased ten-fold. In fact, she never even dozed off during History class! Katniss was unsure of what to make of this; should she be concerned or happy? When the lunch bell rang, the brunet concluded that love was a fickle thing and did wonders to the mind if lured in too deep.

"I'll see you later, okay, Katniss?" Madge said, a little too eagerly. She hurriedly packed up her books, swung her bag over her shoulder, and rushed out the door, pushing past a couple of students that shot the ecstatic blond a glare as she ran by.

Katniss's shoulders fell. She was still clueless to Madge's plan, and by the looks of it, she wasn't going to find out anything until Madge carried it out. Katniss exited the classroom, her bag swung over one of her shoulders. A bunch of gossiping students trailed behind her, and the brunet noticed that it was the group of girls that she noticed yesterday. Celes, however, was absent which sparked Katniss's curiosity.

"What happened after, Amy?" a girl asked eagerly, tugging on her friend's uniform.

Her friend waved her hand dismissively. "You worry too much. She'll be fine!"

"No really – what did you do?" another one spoke up.

"Plus, she didn't even show up today… Celes never misses a class."

Katniss's lips slightly twitched. The brunet slowed down, curious to hear more of their conversation.

"Will you just quit it!" Amy snapped. "You're acting like I killed her or something!"

"That's cause you aren't telling us anything," her friend muttered.

Amy sighed in frustration. "Look – all I did was put a little pressure on her. She didn't want to go to a club, so I forced her to. I guess I should have told her not to accept drinks from strangers huh?"

Before Amy's friend could reply, a girl rushed up to them, her eyes sparkling in amusement as she explained what was currently happening in the cafeteria. "She wrote him a love letter. Like… a legit love letter. How stupid can you get?" the girl said, somewhat angrily. Katniss's eyebrow rose. "Honestly, you should have seen her face when Gale rejected her. She looked like she was going to bawl her eyes out!"

Katniss stiffened, and her grip on her bag tightened. Without any hesitation, she sprinted towards the cafeteria, and unintentionally knocking into Amy who shouted an angry "hey!" as she watched Katniss turn the corner. A love letter? Was that Madge's 'fail-proof' plan? Katniss found it unbelievably hard to imagine Madge, a somewhat delusional hyperactive girl, confessing in such an old fashioned manner.

Katniss opened the cafeteria doors, and was overwhelmed by the large crowd. She weaved through the students that were all looking upwards at the 'entertaining' show.

"I… you don't have to accept my feelings. I really… I just want you to read it – at least," Madge said quietly, her eyes glued onto the letter that Gale was carelessly twirling. "Please."

Gale tossed the letter in front of Madge, sighing softly. "I know you have put a lot of effort into it and I do appreciate it. But, I'm just not interested. I've tossed many of these pointless letters away; I don't see why yours is an exception."

Tears were now streaming down her reddened cheeks as she slowly absorbed the harsh words Gale had just said. Katniss held her breath, her hands forming into fists. Suddenly, Cato stood from his chair and approached the blonde, an amused glint in his eyes. He leaned over and picked up the red envelope that was sealed with a crown sticker. To Katniss's horror, he tore it open, and slowly unfolded the letter.

"It's quite sad that all of your hard work will be wasted," Cato started, taking a quick read of the letter. With his head still tilted downwards, he looked at her, a devious smirk replacing his amused smile from before. "Why don't we share your masterpiece with everyone here? I'm sure they're all dying to know your heartfelt words."

"No!" Madge screamed, attempting to grab her letter out of the ringleader's hands. Cato easily pushed her aside and cleared his throat. He looked at Gale who merely shrugged and spun his chair around, wanting to be ignorant to the whole fiasco.

Just as Cato opened his mouth, the paper was miraculously snatched from his hands. His eyes widened as he stared blankly at the girl standing in front of him. She appeared to be unfazed by his angry countenance and his dangerous, icy glare. Uncharacteristically, Cato slipped his hands inside his pocket and his lips curved into an amused smile. Finnick and Gale, who saw this heroic act, was absolutely dumbstruck.

Katniss turned, her heart shattering as she saw Madge crying uncontrollably. "Come on, let's get out of here," Katniss whispered.

"K-Katniss," Madge choked out, her voice quiet and shaky.

"Leaving so soon? The fun's just about to begin!" Cato said loudly. Cheers erupted from the crowd. "Why don't both of you stick around for a little bit longer?"

Katniss shot the ringleader a glare that could out-rival his. Despite the fear that was stirring insider her, she maintained her cool composure. The brunet refused to admit that she was terrified of the dangerous man standing in front of her. There was something in his opalescent eyes that made Katniss feel extremely uneasy, and unbelievably small.

She turned to Madge, not wanting to make things even more chaotic than they already are. "Let's go," she said, a little louder this time.

Cato's gaze darkened as Katniss ushered Madge out of the cafeteria. However, the iron wall of students easily blocked their path. Their arms were crossed, and every single one was radiating a dangerous aura that kept Katniss on her toes. She knew what was coming, and from the horrified look on Madge's face, it was obvious that she did too.

"Wow, guess you weren't as smart as I've heard," Glimmer said, the crowd parting as she emerged with her arms folded over her chest.

Katniss's knuckles turned white, and her face turned a faint but noticeable shade of red due to the anger that was reeling inside her. Madge bit her bottom lip, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Move," Katniss uttered. Glimmer was taken aback at the commoner's sudden change. Her gaze swept the room, and her parted lips slowly morphed into a sinister smile.

"Clearly everyone in this room is against you. You have no allies except for…" she took a side glance at Madge and rolled his eyes before continuing, "your pitiful friend."

Suddenly, Katniss felt a hand on her shoulder, and reflexively, she rudely shrugged it off and spun around to give the person a piece of her mind. However, her face turned pale as Cato was now towering over her, a murderous look in his eyes. Katniss braced herself, remembering the horrific images of Cato's victims after a brutal fist fight, the students as his allies. She, however, refused to be taken down so easily.

The ringleader leaned towards her, his breath tickling her earlobe as he spoke ever so softly, "you'd better watch yourself."

Madge's eyes widened, terrified at Cato's unexpected words. Katniss didn't budge. Her gaze was glued straight ahead, even as Cato leaned upwards. She forced a chuckle from her lips as she mustered the courage to look at him straight in the eyes.

From above, Gale whistled. "Well, I wasn't expecting this to happen."

"Oh shut it, Gale. This all happened because of you!" Finnick growled. "If you would have let the girl down easy –"

"Hey! I did let her down easy!" Gale defended. "Right, Peeta?" Peeta's arms were resting on the railing, his eyes fixed on the scenario below. "Peeta?" Gale arched a brow as Peeta silently sauntered down the stairs. The confused Career turned to his friend who had the same quizzical countenance. "What's gotten into him?"

Finnick's hand ran through his tousled tresses. "I don't know," he grumbled. "I think everyone's a little messed up today."

"You think?"

Finnick rolled his eyes. "You especially!"

The students took a step back as Peeta entered the scene. "Isn't it about time we drop this little act?" he asked, smiling at the crowd. "After all, Classes _are_ about to begin." Cato glared at his friend out of the corner of his eye. "And you don't particularly have very good attendance, Cato."

Cato's gaze shifted back to the brunet who, undoubtedly, relaxed after Peeta's interference. Seeing the admirable glint in her eyes, he scowled and walked past her, rudely bumping against her and Madge. Katniss glared at him for a brief second, not forgetting that Peeta was standing a few feet in front of her. She turned to him and smiled.

* * *

That night, Madge explained everything over the phone. Katniss was quite amazed that Gale had been the one to approach her first the day Madge decided on her 'fail-proof' plan. His way with words and charming appearance lured her in instantly (and it didn't help that Madge was infatuated with the boy in the first place.)

"So technically, he noticed you already," Katniss said, eyeing her mountain of homework that was sitting on her small table. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"I wanted him to remember me!" Madge insisted. "Maybe – I honestly thought that was a sign!"

"Well, now you clearly know that it wasn't." Madge sniffled, and Katniss could hear Madge's faint sobs that she had held back for so long. "Hey – why don't you and I go out this weekend? Maybe it'll help you take your mind off of things."

"Al… alright," The blonde said, in between her sniffles.

"Go and get some rest. You'll need your energy to stay awake in History tomorrow."

"Hey… Katniss?" Madge spoke up softly.

"Mhm?"

"Thank you… for today. If it weren't for you, I –"

"What are friends for, right?" Katniss smiled. "Save the heartwarming speech after everyone has forgotten about this."

Madge, who was sitting on her large bed, hugged her knees tightly. "I'm worried about you though… You stood up to… him!"

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Who? He-who-must-not-be-named? Why are you afraid of saying his name?"

"I'm just worried about you, Katniss! What if he does something to you?" Madge yelled.

"He won't," Katniss uttered softly, not entirely sure herself. The thought of Cato targeting her wasn't entirely out of the question. The brunet was one hundred percent sure that the dangerous ringleader had something planned in that insane mind of his. "Go get some rest, Madge. You sound exhausted."

"But—"

"Madge," Katniss said sternly. "Everything will be fine, okay? Trust me."

The blonde sighed, and the brunet took that as a "yes." They hung up and almost immediately, Katniss jumped straight to her homework, determined to get it all finished before midnight. Madge placed the phone beside her before burying herself under her cozy blankets. She felt a sudden weight near her feet but the blonde showed no signs of movement.

"You're getting too attached to her," a voice said softly.

"Go away, Celes. You're the last person I want to see right now," Madge replied.

"What happened today? You've been acting strange ever since you got back."

"I thought I told you to go away!"

Celes sighed and reluctantly left the room, leaving Madge to drown in her thoughts.

* * *

Katniss awoke the next morning feeling nauseous and drowsy. As she left for school that chilly morning, she buried half her face into her scarf. The brunet weaved through the crowded streets like usual, ignoring the high pitched laughter and flamboyant outfits of the Capitol citizens. As usual, she ambled past the iron gates and into the enormous building.

So far, it seemed like a typical morning.

The brunet stopped in front of her locker, ignoring the glares and looks from the other students. Occasionally, she caught them whispering about yesterday's events, and she felt absolutely terrified, despite her stoic countenance. Her invisibility was shattered, and it was obvious that she and Madge would be the talk of the school until another victim surfaces.

Katniss's heart stopped as a putrid scent filled her nostrils. She swallowed the lump in her throat, hesitantly reaching for her lock. A couple of her classmates walked by, narrowing their eyes as she spun the spinner of her lock several times. Katniss swung her locker door open, her shoulders falling as she gazed upon the blinding, scarlet rose that sat atop a bunch of books. Unexpectedly, a small crowd closed in on her, all smiling a smile that rivalled Cato's amusing grin.


End file.
